MSN carrying the PiPress report:
Republican Party on Saturday endorsed former NBA player and 5th Congressional District candidate Royce White to run against incumbent Amy Klobuchar for U.S. Senate.
White, a one-time Black Lives Matter activist turned right-wing media darling, podcaster and Republican candidate, was introduced at the convention with an endorsement video from former Donald Trump adviser Steve Bannon, whom he called a “dear friend.”
In his convention speeches, White said Klobuchar is part of the Washington, D.C., establishment “swamp,” and said his low levels of campaign funding demonstrate his status as an outsider.
“The number one problem in this country is money in politics,” said White, later adding: “We need people now more than ever that can’t be bought.”
[...] White has a little more than $10,000 for his campaign, according to filings with the Federal Election Commission. As of March 31, Klobuchar had more than $5.7 million.
For those inclined: https://roycewhite.us/donor-page/
https://ballotpedia.org/Royce_White
Open Secrets - follow the money
Summary Data
Total Raised and Spent
Candidate Raised Spent Cash on Hand Last Report Amy Klobuchar (D) • Incumbent $15,938,906 $14,104,764 $5,769,671 03/31/2024 Joseph Fraser (R) $45,057 $1,156 $43,901 03/31/2024 Royce White (R) $10,754 $487 $10,267 03/31/2024 See all candidates in this race
We do not have data for the following candidates:
- John Berman (R)
- David Hilbrich (R)
- Derek Austin Logan (D)
- Patrick Munro (R)
- Gene Rechtzigel (R)
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| link for image in context |
_____________UPDATE____________
There is arguable ambiguity about why the image and music.
You don't need a weatherman to tell you who owns Minnesota's Republicans.
Donald Trump does. They've swallowed hook, line and sinker. And are being reeled in.
Two thirds for White, per a Bannon endorsement video. Who needs more proof; Donald J. Trump owns the store. From MPR coverage of White's endorsement and related matters:
In appealing for support for his endorsement, White, a podcaster and former professional basketball player, ripped the political establishment and the big bucks it demands from people seeking office.
“The reality is we need people now more than ever that can’t be bought,” White said at the podium. “They don’t have a price and I can’t stress that to you enough.”
While speaking to the convention, White acknowledged personal debt problems. He did not directly readdress his past criminal and court judgments.
Republicans endorsed White with “reservation.” White said he disagreed with the decision.
“I appreciate the committee and its process,” White said. “I hope we can change it in the future because the same reservations they had about me would surely fall on Donald Trump as well if he was running in this race.”
White won on the first ballot with more than two-thirds of the vote. White, who’s African American, also told the convention he can bring more people of color into the GOP.
“My effort in Ramsey, in Dakota, and Hennepin county is going to be simple,” White said. “Black people in this state and all across the country believe in a very, very common idea that the government is too big, and it’s usually corrupt,” White said to the cheer of delegates.
Several other Republican Senate hopefuls were also in the running. One of them, Joe Fraser, raised more money than all of the others, but Fraser was unable to get enough support come convention time. Fraser told MPR News earlier this year that he would support the endorsed candidate if he did not win party backing.
Fraser got press coverage, as a "traditional" Pawlenty - Weaver largely business owned Republican. Beloved cliche. And lost. Yesterday's beloved cliche died.
Klobuchar seems the Chamber of Commerce's actual dog in the hunt. Republicans need not apply. Opposing Klobuchar in this State is a token effort at best, so White had Bannon on video and did not even need to wear a MAGA cap for Trumpian bona fides.
Speaking of Trumpian bona fides, the MPR item continues:
Much of the messaging at the Republican convention revolved around blaming Democrats for the nation’s woes, from inflation and illegal immigration to wars in the Middle East and Ukraine. Many delegates — Steve Biesterfeld of Willmar among them — said he thought Republicans are in a good position going to the November election.
“We’ve seen the crime, we’ve seen the riots, we’ve seen the encampments at the colleges, we’re all paying more for gas, pay more for groceries,” Biesterfeld said.
A highlight of this year’s GOP convention was an appearance and a nearly one-and-a-half hour speech from former President Donald Trump to the party’s annual Lincoln Reagan fundraiser dinner. Some tickets for the event sold for as much as $100,000.
U.S. Rep. Tom Emmer, a member of the House GOP leadership, told the convention Saturday that the party’s finances are in better shape now than they’ve been in a long time.
“Our state party is out of debt for the first time in over a decade thanks to President Trump’s partnership and last night’s event,” Emmer said.
At the Friday evening fundraiser, Emmer announced his campaign was also helping the state party with a $100,000 donation to help it prepare for the fall election.
There were disputes about rules and seating certain delegates, but there was unity among delegates that Donald Trump is on track to defeat President Joe Biden in November and that Republicans stand to benefit from fed-up Americans.
Emmer perceives which way the wind blows, and bends with it. As expected.
Are you a "fed-up American?" If so, does that mean you buy into this Gestalt?
If your needle is moved by grifter-speak, put on the red cap and dance.
There are enough rational people left in the country that Biden will win.
____________FURTHER UPDATE__________
A video, four years in the White House, no wall.
Another, no plan.
Put succinctly, Donald Trump is as good as his word.
But he has ignited something. Something healthy or unhealthy?
You decide.
The expectation is those buying the cap are buying the stock. We'll see.
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And while the post moved somewhat from Royce vs. Amy; in a sense it did not, and is still about Royce White as endorsed Republican candidate for the U.S. Senate seat currently held by Sen. Klobuchar, multi-term. The story has convolutions.